


Judgement Must Be Passed

by Masky_Writer



Category: Persona 5
Genre: I had so many Ryuji feelings I just exploded into my notepad, M/M, Short Chapters, Traitor!Ryuji AU, idk how else to tag this so if yall come up with anything tell me pls, mentions of abuse, mentions of broken bones, seven deadly sins theme, the phantom thieves arent painted in the best light here, the whole thing's done i'm just gonna upload all this day by day so u dont have to be kept waiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:40:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22805689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masky_Writer/pseuds/Masky_Writer
Summary: Everyone was guilty of a sin. Everyone had one sin they held close to their soul and let it eat away at their purity. No one was truly good. No one was truly evil. The sin allowed them to sit in the grey area of life.What were the Phantom Thieves sins? And what were his own?
Relationships: (not really outwardly shown in many chapters but it is there its canon boyes), Akechi Goro/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 6
Kudos: 101
Collections: 'i'll be your traitor'





	1. Greed

**Author's Note:**

> is my account now solely for traitor!ryuji content? maybe, maybe.

Ann was his friend. Well, he thought she was his friend. 

They were thicker then thieves (ha.) since they were in middle school. But even back then, she always had something nasty to say. 

Whether it be his smarts, the fact that he still owes her for that dolphin he got for his mother (he has, in fact, paid her back. she looked surprised when he did. that just made him angry. what, did she think he wasn't going to? he doesn't break promises.), his attitude, or his lack of volume control, she always had something to say, and it always rubbed him the wrong way.

In the past, he let it roll off his back. Even though it reminded him of his fathers passing comments, drunken and slurred. Even though it irked him. Even though they'd make him feel nothing but shame and make him feel oh so small, he let it pass. Because that's how friends work, isn't it? It's just teasing, right?

It wasn't. It always hit too deep. It always effected him too much. And when he tried to tell her, she'd laugh, tell him to take a joke.

Then Kamoshida happened, and what little remains of their friendship was there had broke just like his leg.

Ann believed everyone. Believed the rumors that Kamoshida breaking his fucking leg, his pride and joy, so badly that he'll never run was out of "self defense".

But that wasn't the worst part. He could understand if she didn't understand. He could understand if she needed to hear it from him first. But when he tried to explain himself, she just glared at him.

"Don't lie to me, Ryuji. I know Kamoshida pushed you, but attacking him was completely unnecessary. Do you have any idea what you did to Shiho now!?"

He was just a background character. Someone to use and toss when Ann found the shiniest new toy, no matter how much she didn't like to admit it. Shiho was her new friend now. Ryuji was old news. She was willing to throw him under the bus.

His verdict of Ann Takamaki? Guilty of Greed.


	2. Envy

Morgana was awful. Plain and simple. 

This doesn't mean Ryuji doesn't realize he comments right back at him. He knows what he does. He knows why Morgana does what he does.

It's because he's an easy target. He gets riled up easily. He's emotional, very emotional, and has a hard time to simply...take things and let them pass. He takes insults to heart. That makes it hard for him to tell teasing from hurt. (but he knows when the Thieves mean it. he always knows.)

But Morgana...Morgana also knows what he's doing. Morgana means every single word that comes from his mouth.

Why he hates the blonde is beyond him. It couldn't just be because he considered leaving him behind in Kamoshida's palace, could it? It's not his fault he thought he was a Shadow! He was new, and scared, and just wanted to leave and not cause anymore trouble!

Whatever his reason, Morgana hates him, and riles him up constantly. Morgana pokes every button he has. Morgana hurts him more then he should because he's just a fucking cat.

But worst of all, Morgana gets to be the victim in all of it.

Everyone takes his side. Every single thief. Akira lets it pass, Ann eggs him on, Futaba finds it hilarious, and everyone else sees no problem in it.

Then Morgana left, and Ryuji was the punching bag. The one to blame. It was his fault he left. It was his fault Morgana got so angry. 

Never mind the fact that he started it. Never mind the fact that specifically started that fight just to be able to play victim. Never mind the fact that he used Ryuji as his scapegoat. It's Ryuji's fault.

It's always Ryuji's fault.

Because when he starts the fights, Morgana turns out in a positive light. Always. Because he wanted the attention.

His verdict of Morgana? Guilty of Envy.


	3. Lust

Yusuke was blunt. Always very blunt. He didn't know much about people from his time with Madarame. He was sheltered, and Ryuji knew that.

But man, sometimes that bluntness just hit so hard it was like a punch.

And the worst part is that, he's blunt about his distaste for Ryuji entirely. He's so open about it. Open about the fact that he doesn't find him visually attractive in the slightest. And to Yusuke, that lowers his value.

And that hurts more then it should. 

Ryuji was always told his his mother to "never let your looks define you. it's your personality that matters.", but not today. Not with Yusuke calling out his flaws while praising everyone else's to the high heavens. Even his smile was wrong for him.

Yusuke was such a perfectionist, an artist, and demanded to stand next to those he thought worthy of his attention.

Ryuji wasn't one of those people.

His verdict of Yusuke Kitagawa? Guilty of Lust.


	4. Pride

The moment she reared her head, Ryuji knew he didn't like Makoto. He also had an inkling she'd be a problem for a very long time.

Turns out he was right. Far more then he thought. Listening to her act all stuck up, making him do the dirty work for their calling cards for Kaneshiro (he dressed up for that. didn't want to possibly get caught by any perverts, even with those guys in jail he was still scared.), commenting on his attitude as if he was some rowdy, loud, obnoxious asshole. He could deal with it. He was good at dealing with it.

But what made him want to wring her neck was how much better she thought she was from everyone.

It wasn't just him, though he certainly was her favorite target, it was everyone. She would treat them like idiots because of test scores, and the day Akira got his higher then hers she called it a "fluke". It made him grind his teeth everytime she spoke. Because anytime she opened her mouth, something nasty would come out.

Now, as much as he would love to call her a number of nasty names, his mother didn't raise him like that. And he certainly didn't want to sound like his father. So he kept those comments locked away in his head where he and Kidd could comment about them together.

His verdict of Makoto Niijima? Guilty of Pride.


	5. Framed

Futaba was someone Ryuji considered giving up his commitment to this betrayal for. Because she treated him like a friend. A true friend.

Her jabs were light hearted, her teases were honest and cute, her interest in video games let her and Ryuji hang out together on a more personal level. For once he felt like he had a true friend amongst the thieves.

But Futaba still made his stomach twist. Her comment of him being "undatable" really pushed him, and lowered his slowly rising self confidence he was trying to raise for himself.

She was kind, but her ignorance to emotions hurt more then it should. Especially when Morgana ran away. (Like a coward.) But she was still kind. She was still a friend.

Ryuji knew he'd feel bad when this was all over. Betraying the Thieves was going to be rough because of her. But he can't back out now. Not when he's so far gone. Not when he's so in it.

Not when he wants to continue.

His verdict of Futaba Sakura? She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.


	6. Gluttony

Ryuji didn't get to hang out with Haru much. She joined last out of everyone, and he didn't even know she was around before meeting her carrying hin bags of dirt. He admires her strength, but wishes they could've hung out more.

Haru has sunshine in her heart, and gentleness in her soul, but all she wants is to be kind. And sometimes that kindness is sugar coated pain.

He knows he's too much of a brute to do gardening, but the way she said it...it was almost condicending. And he didn't like it.

But Haru was the kindest soul. A true sweetheart.

If only she wasn't so hungry for peace.

In costume, she was brutal. An absolute beast. That axe or grenade launcher wasn't just for show, after all. But outside of costume, when her rebellion was hidden away, only subtly showing through harsh smiles and narrowed stares, she just wanted to keep peace.

Even if that meant sitting idly by while nasty comments were hurled his way. Even if that meant being quiet while he was scolded for things he didn't deserve to be scolded for.

Ryuji can't say he hates Haru, because he doesn't. She hasn't done anything to make her hate him. She's never hurt him on purpose.

But she has on accident.

His verdict of Haru Okumura? Guilty of Gluttony.


	7. Sloth

Ryuji won't beat around the bush. He had feelings for Akira. They were new, just beginning to blossom properly, like a newly planted flower in a garden of emotions he kept buried deep inside. 

But just like every other flower he had there, flowers of friendship, flowers of family, flowers that made him feel joy, and happiness, it was stomped into a pile of crushed petals and broken bulbs. Just like all the rest.

Ryuji knew he shouldn't have fallen for him in the first place. He was quiet, sat back and let things happen, but he hoped it was just because he was new. 

Then he got his awakening, got his Persona, and things were looking up because Akira looked so much more confident the next day. Ryuji truly let himself fall deep into his crush, because this was Akira. His first real friend after Kamoshida fucked everything up. Someone he felt he could rely on.

But then he realized he still sat there. He let everything happen without a care. He still sat back and watched, instead of taking charge like a leader should.

He allowed the teasing and jabs and let Ryuji nearly get himself killed all to protect him.

It was always Akira's safety first...and Ryuji forced himself to be okay with that. Anything to keep feeling like he was useful to him. To someone. To anyone. 

He was lucky to find Goro, who helped him realize he only needed to be useful to himself. Even if he knew Goro was manipulative, he could tell, he wasn't stupid, he let himself lean into him and allowed himself to twist against his friends.

But most importantly, he let himself twist against his best friend. His first true love, even if he never knew. Even if he'll never know.

But he doesn't regret it. Not in the slightest. 

Because for once, this is what Ryuji wants. He wants everyone to realize the threat he can truly be if he gets pushed over the edge...and Akira pushed him the furthest.

His verdict of Akira Kurusu? Guilty of Sloth.


	8. The Melting Pot

Akechi was different. Akechi was his only friend.

He was a manipulator, yes. But Ryuji saw through him. Like he was made of glass. And he didn't let himself fall for his tricks. He simply let himself take what he said with a grain of salt.

He was the only one who truly offered him an out. He was the only one who saw Ryuji for him. He was the only one who told Ryuji that enough was enough.

He was the one who pushed him down this path.

Akechi was his friend, hell he was his lover at this point, but he certainly never considered him a good person.

He knew when Ryuji was cornered, and struck like a lion after it's injured prey.

And Ryuji let him eat him whole.

Because, in that moment, Ryuji had no one else to turn to. He had nothing. He was nothing. And Akechi could see that. He acted on that. He used that.

It's only fair Ryuji use him too, isn't it? Using his affections to make himself feel better. Using his holds, his gentle caresses, to heal his wounded heart.

Ryuji is in love with a manipulative, broken man...but he's broken, too. It evens out in his mind.

His verdict of Goro Akechi? Guilty of every sin, spoon fed to him as a child, rolled into one being, and called Loki.


	9. Wrath

Ryuji Sakamoto did not like himself. Not at all.

"He was weak!" His father would yell while hauling his child off to his room to beat him in peace without having to listen to his mothers cries for mercy on her poor baby boy.

"He was a burden." He'd tell himself as his mother was late for dinner once again because she had to work extra hours. He started cooking for her instead. It was easier. It kept food on the table. It made her happy.

"He needed more pushing." His track team would say as they watched their star player do two more laps. Just two more, he would say. Then do another one, because he craved the praise. The one thing he never had.

"Just like your father." Kamoshida said as he pressed down further and further and further until the crack and sound of bone shifting against bone would haunt Ryuji's nightmares to this day.

"He's a monster!" The students would whisper as he limped to class on his crutches and glared at the floor. One mistake, and he was bottom of the barrel. Completely lost. He was broken once more.

"He's useless!" Morgana would say in battle, earning snickers from his friends and making Ryuji feel like garbage. He smiled an empty smile at them. They didn't notice.

"He's a brute." Haru said in sugar coated tones as she told him he was a bit too rough to handle something as delicate as gardening. He was rough. He had shaky hands and nervous ticks and didn't know what to do with himself, but he was willing to learn. Why couldn't anyone see he was willing to learn?

"You're far too much!" Yusuke would say, appaled when Ryuji offered to take over for Ann when trying to get into Madarame's palace. Maybe he let his anger at the situation seep in and made Ann do the deed, maybe he'll regret that for a very long time, but that still made Ryuji go home and poke and prod at his body, trying desperately to find out what was wrong with him. (it was everything. it's always been everything. he's wrong.)

"He's so stupid!" Ann would say when the test scores were revealed one day. Akira surpressed a chuckle. Ryuji still heard it. It broke his heart even more.

"You're overreacting." Akira said, nerves rising to his face as he was confronted with the mistake that changed history. The mistake of leaving him behind for the last time. He hid behind his mask. Ryuji let the rebellion grow within him. He let the spark flicker into a full on thunderstorm.

"You are my sunshine." Akechi would say, cupping his face as Ryuji wept. He could only truly be himself around the detective, the one who hid behind sugary smiles at first but slowly they disolved with every tear Ryuji shed during their times alone. Slowly, Akechi leaned on him as well. It was an even share of weight, and for once, Ryuji felt like he could let himself float instead of sink.

Ryuji did not like himself. Not in the slightest. But there was one person to made it easier to say he was...fine. Not amazing, but not terrible. He was average. He can take average.

Average is good for a traitor. A traitor who wanted to see his friends hurt just like they hurt him.

His verdict on himself? Guilty of Wrath.


End file.
